Hajj

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The Hajj (Arabic حج‎) is the traditional Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. Most pilgrims also visit other holy sites, notably Medina where the prophet lived and taught from when he was driven out of Mecca until his triumphant return.

The Hajj can only be completed during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah. A pilgrimage to Mecca at any other time is known as Umrah (عمرة), and while not compulsory is highly recommended.

[edit] Understand

The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam; every adult Muslim is supposed to do it at some time in his or her life if health and finances permit. In poorer areas it is not uncommon for whole families or even whole villages to chip in to send one person.

It is also one of the largest human migrations. Every year over two million people visit Saudi Arabia for this pilgrimage. Since they all arrive at roughly the same time and visit the same places in the same order, and since a large number of Saudis go as well, this is a major logistical problem. The Saudi government has a ministry to manage it.

WARNING: The Hajj is intended for Muslims only. Normal Saudi visas do not grant entry to Mecca and Medina. The Saudi government issues special separate visas to both cities, which will be checked upon entry to either. If you are a non-Muslim and you do manage to enter anyway, it is considered sacrilege and, if discovered, the penalty can be jail time and deportation.

Nonetheless, a few Western explorers have managed the journey — most notably, Sir Richard Burton made the Hajj in 1853 and wrote an account of the trip.

[edit] Prepare

Unless you are a citizen of Saudi Arabia you will need a visa, obtained in advance from a Saudi embassy. Visas are allocated on a quota system, based on the number of Muslims in a country. You may need to provide evidence that you are Muslim, such as a letter from your local mosque.

[edit] Get in

Historically, people made the pilgrimage by camel caravan or by ship. It took months, even years, and was very dangerous.

Today, most pilgrims arrive via the airport at Jeddah. There are two special Hajj terminals, the largest buildings (by roof area) in the world. They are enormous tents of fiberglass fabric on reinforced concrete poles and steel cables. At Hajj time, there are dozens of large aircraft parked alongside these terminals.

From Jeddah — for most pilgrims, directly from the airport — there are busses to Mecca. Busses are also used for the trip to Medina; Saudi Arabia has not had a railway since Lawrence and the lads blew up the Turkish one during the First World War.

[edit] Route

The Hajj route in and around Mecca

Once at Mecca, the traditional Hajj route is as follows:

1. Miqat, or changing into the pilgrims' ihram clothes
2. Tawaf az-Ziyarah, walking around the Kaaba four times at a fast pace and three times at a slow pace, and Sa`y, walking seven times back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwah (both rituals within the Masjid al-Haram)
3. On the 8th day of the month, moving to Mina and camping overnight
4. On the 9th, the Wuquf, journey to Arafat and spending the day in prayer
5. Collecting pebbles and camping overnight at Muzdalifah
6. On the 10th, the stoning of the jamraat, throwing seven pebbles at the large wall representing the Devil, followed by the sacrifice of an animal (often performed by proxy by buying a sacrifice voucher in Mecca)
7. On the 10th or 11th, Tawaf az-Ziyarah, repeating step 2
8. On the 11th and 12th, stoning of the jamraat, repeating step 5
9. Tawaf Widaa, a final circumambulation of the Kaaba

The first two steps are known as the "lesser Hajj" or Umrah, while the full course is known as the "greater Hajj" or al-Hajj al-Akbar.

[edit] Get out

Hajj and Umrah visas are strictly limited to Mecca, Medina, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah. Traveling anywhere else in Saudi Arabia will require an additional travel permit, which is difficult and time-consuming to obtain, and is rarely granted without good reason (eg. medical emergencies).

Expats living in Saudi Arabia can get good deals on flights out of the country at Hajj. With all the pilgrims coming in, airlines from any country with a lot of muslims — most places between Nigeria and Indonesia — offer large discounts to avoid flying home with empty planes.

WikiPedia:Hajj